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SEB RAMSAY - IT’S NOT ABOUT THE BIKE, TIREE

IT’S NOT ABOUT THE BIKE

With the outdoor nirvana of summer firmly consigned to the stuff of memory, I’m always keen to find ways of stretching the season and easing the transition into winter’s shorter days.

Britain’s sunniest spot is a decent starting place.

The island of Tiree is the kind of place hardly anyone visits once. Not your typical cycling destination being flat and almost treeless - it’s pretty much totally in contrast to the spots I mostly find myself.
This inner-Hebridean island is all about beaches though and it’s home to some of the country’s most-consistent and most-uncrowned surfing.
You really do have to want to go to Tiree. The 800-population island is served by a ferry which goes from the Scottish tourist town of Oban and takes around four hours. Add to that a five to six-hour drive from Manchester and you’re getting a feel for the level of intent required.
But it’s so worth it. Apart from the odd day here and there, I only ever surf in Tiree now. If you‘re very much a part-time surfer, you’ll know there aren’t many places where the waves are decent and you haven’t got hoards of good, local surfers riding them. Tiree is that place though.

The boat trip is killer despite its pre-dawn get go. Heading up the Sound of Mull between the island of Mull and the mainland, there are fabulous views up the sea lochs to the Ben Nevis range. Then, after passing the beautiful Mull town of Tobermory, the imposing granite peaks of Skye come into view. Hard to beat in good weather.
Depending on the wind and swell direction, there are a choice of three main spots to surf in Tiree and find if you head to the closest you can find out where‘s the best. All the popular spots are beach breaks which means that on the long deserted beaches there are loads of places to surf and no rocky penalty for failure - which is nice.

In autumn the water’s still warm too. We were easily staying in for two to three hours at a time and dragging our celery-like limbs out through fatigue and not cold. I wore a hood on the windier days but didn’t bother with boots or gloves.

We did a Friday to Monday trip this time and even though the annual Tiree Classic windsurf contest was on the same weekend, there was hardly anyone around. Most of the time there were more inquisitive seals in the line-up than surfers.

We had a cloudless Saturday when the waves were quite small so we hired paddle boards from Suds - a typically laid back local who transports his hire fleet from break to break in a converted horse box.
Paddle boarding is a proper work out - like a cross between canoeing, surfing and a monster pilates session. Get a wide one though - there’ll be a lot less swearing.

As part of Tiree’s commerce-free charm, it’s worth bearing in mind that café culture and fast food have yet to penetrate the inner Hebrides so it’s best to be prepared to be self-sufficient.
It‘s also worth booking up its handful of eating spots before you get there if you‘re not keen to cook yourself.

It’s hard to think it’ll be this way forever though so, whatever you do, don’t miss the boat.